Resilient heel and the like.



A. F. PRIES.

RESILIENI HEEL AND THE LIKE.

` APPLICATION R.H.19l,

1,231,296. PantedJmw 26, 1917.

mum ffii; wml* iene f .-v Teelt @fiom may' concern:

Be -it known; thatfl, AUGUSTUS F. PRIEST, a citizen oitheUnited States,- residing at 'Oalr1 Parlnginthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Resilient Heels and the like, of ication A My invention pertains to features ofnovelty and improvement in rubbe'r or similar resilient cushions, such as shoe heels, soles,

which the following is a speciand the like, and door-mats, floor-coverings,

and appliances of that general style.

lts prime or leading object isto provide a structure ofthis character which will have .greater elasticity than the appliances 'now on the market and yet wear witlreconomy and prevent slipping. liv/Then the invention is embodied in a rubber heel, for example, the bottom. face thereoi; vis provided with an elevated or raised portion or suction structure intended to engage the sidewalk or licor in such.. a way as to prevent slipping or sliding, and, to bring this about to the best advantage, thatv part Lof theheelin register with the raised boss or suction cup part has an air-cushion to make such portion of the structure more resilient, whereby to'` facilitate the action oit' the suction cup and increase the elasticity or cushioning e'ect of the heel.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full and complete understanding of this invention and its various advantages, l have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the same in the accompanying drawing ,forming a part of. this specification' andthroughout the various views of which. like reference characters refer to the saine parts.

In. the drawing: Figure l is a face or top view of a rubber heel' embodying the invention;

.,Fig. 2 is a. cross-section on line 2--2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a bottom view ofthe heel.

Referring to the drawing. it will be observed vthat the rubber heel l() is of the usual contour and customary thickness, being provided with a plurality of countersunlc holes 1l for the accommodationof any suitable means, such as nails. for fastening the heel to the shoe.- The middle 4portion of the bottoni face of the heel has an elevation or circular boss l2. extended downwardly when the heel is on the slice, and equipped Specification of Letters latent. I

Application led April 11, 1917. Serial No. 161,113.

, fig

June ze, reir.

with an annular or ring'. grooye 13, such recessed projection constituting lthe suction cup element. In order to make this part of the heel more resilient or'elastic, and'to renderx thasuction cup .more eective in action, that is, to facilitatethe initial gripping ofthe pavement and' to aid in its release, which, of

course, as will be readily understood, alter# l.nately occurs .in rather rapid succession during the Walking. of the individual wearing the shoes provided with such heels, the other sldeof the heel has a depression 14 forming an elastic air cushion. Such cushion increases the resiliency of the heel as a whole and permits a more ready depression or 'com-` pression of the grooved boss as the wearer progressively brings down. the heel in the act of walking; it vreduces the amount of wear on such raised central portion of the heel; and it aids iii-breaking the suction grip on the pavement or floor as the wearer lifts the heel. Due to the gradual compression of the air in the cushion and the bending or lexure of the 'rubber over and around the cushion, the heel -a's a whole is more resilient and has more cushioning edect regardless of whether the boss 1s pro- -tions orl suction' cups Lwould ordinarily, but

not necessarily, be increased-to advantage.

rlfhe invention, as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art, is not limited and restricted to the precise and exact details of structure presented herewith, because these' maybe varied Within comparatively wide limits without departure from the heart and substance ofthe invention and without the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

l claim: l. A cushion appliance of the character described adaptedy for use in connection with' shoes und the like. comprising a resilient body equipped with a portion raised above the main body and reeessed'to provide a suction cup, said body at the suction cup por- 10 the main t guction cup, said body being recessed betionbeing rormed to provide increased ref siliency, whereby to increase the cushioning effect of the appliance and facilitate the action of the'suction cup, substantially as 5 described. A

' neath said raised portion to provide an air cushion whereby to increase the cushioning effect of the appliance and facilitate the '3. A cushion appliance' of the character described, adapted for use in connectionwith shoes and the like, comprising a resilient body equipped with a portion raised above the main body and grooved to provide a suction cup and a central boss, said body being 'recessed beneath said raised portion to provide an air cushion whereby to increase the cushioning effect of "the appliance 25 and to facilitate the action of the suction cro, substantially as described.

.AUGUSTUS F. Pi'aiEsT. 

